Writing device for display members on drug carrier

ABSTRACT

A writing device for display members is provided which can erasably writing patient information on a display member carried on the side of a drug carrier and automatically attach and detach it to and from the carrier. The writing device has an attach/detach/transfer unit for detaching, attaching and transferring a rewrite card to a carrier carrying the rewrite card, and a writing means connected to the attach/detach/transfer means for writing and displaying patient information on the rewrite card. The respective means are controlled based on prescription information to attach and detach the rewrite card to and from the side of the carrier.

This application is a reissue application of U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,218,issued Mar. 2, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a writing device for erasably rewriting thedisplay contents on a display member provided on a drug carrier.

In a medical facility such as a hospital or a pharmacy, large-scalemechanization is being done to efficiently prepare and collect drugssuch as medicines and medical materials for each patient according tothe instructions on prescription in a short time. For example, a systemis embodied in which a plurality of injection drug dispensers fordispensing a large number of and various kinds of and ampules forinjection are installed in a predetermined order, and different kinds ofinjection ampules are dispensed from the dispensers and put intocarriers, and the carriers are transported through a conveyor providedalong these dispensers to send them to an inspecting station to supplythem to each patient through strict inspection.

As another example of the system for collecting drugs in carriers fortransportation, a drug transportation device in which a conveyor deviceis provided along packaging devices for powder drugs and tablets and thedrugs prepared are collected in carriers and sent to an inspectingstation is known from Japanese patent publication 7-81737. In thisdevice, an IC card for storing information is built in a carrier, andinformation stored is displayed in a liquid crystal display provided onthe carrier, or the information is read in a non-contact manner todisplay the information on display devices of various drug preparationunits.

In such a system including injection drug dispensing devices or drugpreparation/transportion devices, prescription information about thecontents of a carrier is printed on a sheet of paper and the sheet isput into it, such information as a patient name or voucher numbercorresponding to a carrier is printed on a name tab or an adhesive labeland it is manually stuck on the side of the carrier so that they can beaccurately handed to patients. As examples in which display of thecontents of carriers or containers or display showing the correlation isdone in technical fields other than medical field in which drugs arecollected and carried, the following are known.

In Japanese patent publication 4-35848, there are disclosed a method anda device for controlling, using a production control device, a devicefor treating articles such as semiconductor products such as wafers bymeans of a memory media such as IC cards. This control method includessteps of tallying data on articles stored in an IC card detachablymounted on a container of the articles to be treated with data abouttreatment of the articles stored in the control device beforehand,dismounting the IC card, transferring the articles to be treated to acontainer for treatment and carrying out predetermined treatment,transferring the articles into the original container, fitting an ICcard corresponding to the articles on this container, and writing thedata about the treatment carried out into the IC card.

In Japanese patent publication 8-91382, using a card that needs noadhesive or an adhesive label, the card mounted on a container isautomatically dismounted to improve workability. With a container beingfed on a conveyor line having its position restricted in the widthdirection by guides, a dismounting lever is inserted into a space atrear of a card mounted on the side of the container to dismount thecard.

Japanese patent publication 9-249689 discloses a device in which apocket for receiving a data carrier as an information storing means isprovided in a side plate of the cassette for carrying articles and thedata carrier is mounted and dismounted to and from the cassette. Inwashing the cassette on which the data carrier is to be mounted, inorder to avoid any bad influence on the data carrier, the latter isdismounted from the cassette, and after washing the cassette, it isre-mounted and information is written into the data carrier.

In medical facilities, drugs, medical materials, etc. are often receivedin carriers (generally called trays) separately for respective patientsbased on prescriptions and instructions by doctors. In order to handdrugs and the like stored therein correctly to patients, it is necessaryto display at least such information as patient names or voucher numberscorresponding to the contents of carriers. For such requirements, theone in which an IC card or a display is provided on a carrier is of atype suitable for handling carriers almost fully automatically notmanually. Thus, although the contents are displayed on the display,patient names or the like are not displayed. Also, general carriersother than those described above are mere containers and, of course,have no displays for patient names or the like.

Thus, in order that they can be used to display information on patientnames or the like for any of the types, in medical facilities, suchinformation is printed on name tags or adhesive labels, and before thecarriers are used, they are manually stuck on the sides of the carriersand manually removed after use. But the work of manually sticking andunsticking display labels will be a large burden if the number ofpatients is large, and human error is inevitable. Also, adhesive labelsmay come off. After unsticking, glue will remain, so that the surface isstained. Further, since adhesive labels are disposed after use, therunning cost is high.

Thus, carriers having the function of displaying, using not expensivemembers such as displays by IC cards but inexpensive members aredesired.

By the way, display members that meet the above requirements, andprinters which can write desired display contents on such displaymembers are already commercially available. The display members allowdisplay contents such as letters to be repeatedly written and erased.The printers can write display contents on the display members or erasethem by applying a predetermined temperature. Using such a displaymember and printer, desired display contents are displayed on thedisplay member and the display member is fitted on a carrier for drugsas described above. Since the display member can be used repeatedly, therunning cost is lower than with an adhesive label and it is possible toprevent soiling of the carrier. But the display member has to be stillmanually fitted on a carrier, so that the burden of mounting anddismounting work remains. There is also the possibility of human errors.

An object of the present invention is to provide a writing device forcarrier display members in which, using inexpensive display memberswhich allow repeated writing and erasing, they are detachably attachedto carriers, and in which information on patient names can be writablyand erasably written on the display members, while preventing soiling ofthe carriers, achieving mechanization of work, and improving workefficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to this invention, there is provided a writing device fordisplay members for a carrier comprising an attach/detach/transfer meansfor detaching, attaching and transferring a display member to thecarrier detachably carrying the display member on one side thereof, anda writing means connected to the attach/detach/transfer means forerasably writing and displaying patient information on the displaymember, the attach/detach/transfer means and the writing means beingcontrolled based on drug information in prescriptions, thereby attachingand detaching the display member to and from the carrier and writingpatient information on the display member.

This writing device is used to attach a display member to the side of acarrier used to carry drugs automatically or manually in a hospital or apharmacy and erasably display patient information on it. By displayingpatient information, it will help correctly handing drugs to patients ordistributing them in a hospital.

The writing means for repeatedly erasing and writing display contents onthe display member is generally used by inserting the display membermanually through its insert port to rewrite the display contents. But inview of hygienic control and efficiency of drug preparation work inhospitals, it is desirable to attach the display member not manually butmechanically. Thus, the attach/detach/transfer means is provided at apredetermined position.

When the carrier is placed at the predetermined position so that itsside contacts the attach/detach/transfer means, the display membercarried on the side is dismounted, transferred and fed into the writingdevice. Patient information based on drug information on prescriptionsis written on the display member by the writing means. The displaymember is then returned and fitted on the side of the carrier. Since thedisplay member allows erasing and writing to be repeated a plurality oftimes, it is not discarded after one-time use but can be used severalhundred times. Thus, the cost is low and fitting can be doneefficiently.

Other features and objects of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following description made with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the entire ampule dispensing deviceprovided with a writing device for display members of an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the writing device of thesame;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view as seen from the arrow III of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are a side view and a plan view of the cardattach/detach means, respectively;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are sectional views taken along lines Va-Va and Vb-Vb ofFIG. 4B;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a control system of a first embodiment of awriting device for display members;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of the process by the control system of the firstembodiment;

FIG. 8 is a view showing an example of prescription data for an ampuledispensing device;

FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of prescription data for a drugconveyor device;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views showing examples of patient information on arewrite card;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the process by the control system of thesecond embodiment;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are explanatory views of printing/reissue screens ofthe same; and

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view of the processing of a menu screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Hereinbelow, referring to the drawings, the embodiments will bedescribed. FIG. 1 shows an entire schematic view of the ampuledispensing device having a conveyor device with a writing device forcarrier display members of the embodiment. In the illustrated ampuledispensing device, ampules dispensed from a central ampule dispensingmachine (C) are dispensed into carriers T supplied from a carrier supplydevice (B) provided at the starting end of the conveyor device (D).After the carriers T have been carried to the terminal end of theconveyor device (D), they are fed into a carrier-discharge lifter cart(E). In the cart, the carriers T are stacked for each of a plurality ofcolumns. After carriers equal in number to the number of patients havebeen temporarily collected, the cart is moved to a pharmacy, a wardnurse station, etc.

The illustrated conveyor device (D) has at a suitable position in frontof the ampule dispensing machine (C) a card attachable/detachablewriting device A for erasing and writing patient information on a card(that is, patient information display member) carried on the side of acarrier T and adapted to display patient information (patient name,date, ward name, room number, department, existence or nonexistence ofdrugs to be stored in a cold place) about the patient for whom the drugsstored in the carrier are intended. The card is generally called arewrite card and has characteristics that patient information writtenand displayed is erasable and information on another patient can berewritten.

In the illustrated example, the rewrite cards 1 are of substantially thesame dimensions and thickness as generally used telephone cards andcommuter passes. Generally, two kinds of rewrite cards are known, i.e.leuco type cards in which a leuco dye and a developer in a recordinglayer react and are bound together to develop color, and a clouding typeof rewrite cards in which a gap is produced between the low moleculesand resin of the recording layer and looks white. Either of the rewritecards are of a type in which when a specific temperature is applied, itis possible to write or erase letters. In the embodiments, the formerleuco type cards are used.

FIGS. 2-5 show the schematic structure of the writing device (A). It hasa card transfer means 10 for pulling a rewrite card 1 out of acard-retaining member 2 at the side of a carrier T and inserting backinto it, and a writing means 20 for writing patient information intoeach rewrite card 1 fed into it by the card transfer means 10. The cardtransfer means 10 has rubber rollers 12 that rotate about verticalshafts, rotary plastic rollers 13 arranged opposite to the rollers 12with a predetermined clearance (which corresponds to the thickness ofthe cards). These rollers 12, 13 are arranged in a plurality of pairs atpredetermined intervals, and a guide frame 11 having a hollow,rectangular sectional shape is provided to support the roller pairs.

The guide frame 11 has a vertical width slightly larger than thelongitudinal width of the rewrite cards and has a thickness of severalcentimeters. The entire frame is integrally formed such that itsabutting portion 11a having a length of about ⅓ of the total length nearthe rewrite card 1 held by the card-holding member 2 of the carrier andits remaining guide portion 11b having a length of about ⅔ are bent at amoderate angle. Also, the guide frame 11 is provided so as to berotatable about a vertical shaft 14 provided at the guide portion 11b ata position near the writing member 20 so that the rubber rollers 12 onone side of the abutting portion 11a can abut the rewrite card 1. Thevertical shaft 14 is fixed to a base plate 10B provided on a rail frameof the conveyor (D).

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, inside the bent portion, a small motor M1is built in with its output shaft provided with a small pulley 15provided at the end protruding from an upper frame plate and the samepulleys 15 are provided at protruding ends of the rotary shafts of therespective rubber rollers 12. A Belt is wound around these pulleys 15 sothat the power of the motor M1 can be transmitted.

As shown in FIG. 3, at the abutting surface with the rewrite card 1 ofthe abutting portion 11a of the guide frame 11, a frame plate 16acontinuing to a frame plate 16b of the guide portion 11b is cut to abouthalf the length of the abutting portion 11a. At the remaining halfportion, two of the rubber rollers 12 are exposed. The frame plate 16ais slightly open outwardly to provide a gap between it and the surfacesof the rubber rollers 12 so that rewrite cards 1 can be easily received.Over and under the rubber rollers 12, two parallel guide plates 18 areprovided horizontally over the entire length of the guide frame 11.

Also as shown in FIG. 5, at a suitable position at a lower outer side ofthe abutting portion 11a of the guide frame 11, an eccentric cam roller11c is connected to the output shaft of a motor M2 provided under thebase plate 10B. When the cam roller 11c abuts the lower outer side ofthe abutting portion 11a, the guide frame 11 turns by a slight angle sothat the rubber rollers 12 exposed from the guide frame will abut arewrite card 1. The guide frame 11 is normally biassed by a coil springlid provided between the base plate 10B and the end of the guide framesuch that the abutting surface 11a is pulled out of the rail frame.

On the base plate 10B, a position sensor PH (FIG. 4A) is providedadjacent the end of the guide frame 11. Carriers T are detected by thesensor PH whose signal is fed to a control unit 30. The control signalfrom the control unit 30 is fed to a drive unit 31B of a stopper 31,which is a carrier stop/release means, to protrude the stopper 31 toforcibly stop the carriers T. The stopper 31 is provided inside theconveyor device (D) and normally below the bottom of each carrier T, andrises so as to abut the bottom of a carrier by the control signal toforcibly stop the movement of the carrier.

As shown in FIG. 2, the writing means 20 has a thermal head 22 providedin one of the case halves of a split case 21. When a rewrite card 1 fedinto the case between the two case halves from one end (left-hand sidein FIG. 2) of the case is moved by feed rollers 23 and passes thethermal head 22, a predetermined temperature is applied by the thermalhead 22 to write. But since this is already known, detailed descriptionis omitted. With this writing means 20, even if previous patientinformation is written on the rewrite card, the display is erased andnew patient information is written. This operation can be carried outrepeatedly. (But there is a practical limit of rewriting, about severalhundred times.)

FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of the control system of thefirst embodiment. But the means shown by dotted line is provided in thesecond embodiment and will be described later. As shown, a host computer40, which is a drug information transmitter, is connected to the controlunit 30. From the host computer 40, prescription data for patients aretransmitted. Specific examples of the prescription data will bedescribed later. The control unit 30 controls a card attach/detach/writemeans 32, which comprises the card attach/detach/transfer means 10 andthe writing means 20, based on the prescription data. It also controlsthe stopper 31, which is a carrier stop/release means, based on thedetection signal from the position sensor PH. 41 is a keyboard as aninput means of the host computer 40, 42 is a mouse, and 43 is a display(CRT).

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a process performed by the control unit 30of the first embodiment (with no reissue function). In the processhaving no function of reissuing rewrite cards, when the power to theentire control system is turned on, the illustrated process startsimmediately. In step S1, the transmission of the prescription data fromthe host computer 40 is confirmed and if there is no transmission ofprescription data, it will return to the top. If the prescription dataare received, it proceeds to S2.

In S2, printing data for rewrite cards are prepared from theprescription data. For example, if the host computer 40 is a computerfor controlling an ampule dispensing device, from among the prescriptiondata shown in FIG. 8, data necessary for print contents shown in FIG.10A are read to prepare printing data. If the host computer is for adrug conveyor device for carrying tablets instead of the ampuledispensing device, from among the prescription data shown in FIG. 9,data necessary for printing contents of FIG. 10B are read to prepareprinting data. To the printing data prepared, serial numbers areassigned and they are controlled by a memory of the control unit 30.

In the case of the prescription data of the ampule dispensing device ofFIG. 8, items of printing contents include patient name, date, wardnumber, room number, department, existence or nonexistence of drugs tobe stored in cool place. The last item is particularly useful. If thereis any drug to be stored in a cool place, the display of “drugs to bestored in cool place” is printed on the card based on the data of “cool”in the cool place column. Also, in the case of the prescription data ofthe drug conveyor device of FIG. 9, items of printing contents includepatient name, voucher number, department, and kinds of drugs. Theindication of the last item is especially useful. From the data in thedrug kind column, indication of tablets or powdered drug is printed.

In S3, it is confirmed on whether or not a carrier is stopping at acorrect position. Stoppage of a carrier is carried out, as describedabove, by activating the stopper 31 based on the signal from theposition sensor PH. When the sensor PH transmits a detection signal andthe stopper 31 is activated, it is determined that a carrier T hasstopped at a predetermined position and it proceeds to the next step S4.

In S4, a rewrite card 1 is dismounted from a carrier T. The dismountingis carried out as follows. When a control signal is first transmitted tothe motor M2 of the card attach/detach/transfer means 10 from thecontrol unit 30, the cam roller 11c rotates to slightly turn the guideframe 11, thereby bringing the abutting portion 11a into abutment with arewrite card 1 of a carrier T. At the same time, the control signal isalso transmitted to the motor M1 to rotate the rubber rollers 12 toprepare for the feeding of the rewrite card 1. When the rubber rollers12 at the abutting portion 11a contact the rewrite card 1, due tofrictional force, the rewrite card 1 is fed from the card-holding member2, passes through the gap 17 between it and the frame plate 16a of theguide frame 11 and the gap between the rubber rollers 12 and the plasticrollers 13 and is fed to the writing means 20.

In S5, printing on the rewrite card 1 is done by the writing means 20.When the rewrite card 1 is fed into the writing means 20, the rewritecard 1 is treated by the thermal head to print (erase+print) the data.When printing is over, in S6, the rewrite card 1 is fed back to the cardattach/detach/transfer means 10, fed in the guide frame 11 and fitted inthe card-holding member 2 of the carrier. In S7, the stopper 31 islowered to release the carrier, which is transferred by the conveyordevice (D). After release of the carrier, it returns before step S1, andthe above process is carried out for the next carrier. This process isrepeated one after another.

The writing device for the carrier display member of the secondembodiment has a writing means 20′ (for reissue) shown by dotted line inFIG. 6, and an operating means 33 having a liquid crystal display 33aand a button 33b, and has the function of reissuing rewrite cards. Thewriting means 20′ for reissue is provided as a separate means at acompletely separate position (not shown) so as not to influence thecontinuous operation of the card attach/detach/write portion 32.Reissued rewrite cards are manually replaced with a rewrite card mountedon a carrier. Reissue of rewrite cards is an operation carried out ifprinting by the writing means 20 is unclear. If the function of theoperating means 33 can be carried out by the host computer 40, theoperating means 33 and writing means 20′ can be omitted.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of the process carried out by the writingdevice of the second embodiment. For the main functions performed by thecard attach/detach/write portion 32, this embodiment is almost the sameas the first embodiment. But it differs from the first embodiment inthat since the operating means 33 is provided, screen display is carriedout and that reissue of rewrite card is possible. Since the operatingmeans 33 is provided, when the power is turned on, the process of FIG.11 is activated from the menu screen process of FIG. 13, and first instep S0, the screen of FIG. 12A is displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay 33a. But since the prescription data are not yet received, inthe initial screen, printing data of FIG. 12A are not displayed.

It is the same as in the first embodiment in that in S1, prescriptiondata are received, and in S2, printing data are prepared. But when theprint data are prepared, in S2′, as in FIG. 12A, the serial number andpatient name are displayed on the screen. On the display screen,selection buttons “reissue” and “end” are displayed. It is the same asthe first embodiment in that unless the button switch “Δ” correspondingeither of them is depressed, the processes of S3-S7 are done. When theprocess of S7 is over, it returns before S1 and the same process asabove is executed for every display by sending prescription data foreach patient.

By repeating these processes, ordinary writing into rewrite cards isdone. But printing on written rewrite cards is sometimes unclear. Thisis because printing can become unclear if erasing and writing arerepeated over the limit of several hundred times. If rewrite cards withunclear printing appear, an operator checks them visually and performsthe reissue process. Since prescription data are not necessarily sentcontinuously while the processes of S1-S7 are being carried out, butthere may be no transmission of prescription data for some time periods,such reissue processing is carried out during such periods.

When the processing operation returns before S1, if the “reissue” buttonshown in FIG. 12A is pressed selecting the timing at which there is notransmission of prescription data, the processing treatment proceeds tothe flow on the right-hand side of FIG. 11. Unless the “end” button ispressed in S10, it proceeds to S11 and the “reissue” screen shown inFIG. 12B is displayed. The “reissue” screen is for indicating theprinting data to be reissued. The serial number and patient name of theprinting data that have already been printed are displayed. When the“last data” button is pressed, the data before the data now displayedare displayed. When the “next a data” button is pressed, data next tothe data now displayed are displayed.

After displaying the printing data he wants to reissue by pressing the“last data” or “next data” button, an operator presses a “determine”button to make selection of data. It proceeds to S13 and unless a “stop”button is pressed here, it proceeds to S14. When a spare rewrite card isput in the writing means 20′ for reissuing, print data to be reissuedare overwrite-printed (erase+print) on the rewrite card for reissuing.Rewrite card reissued on the writing means 20′ are manually replacedwith the rewrite card mounted on carriers.

If the “stop” button is pressed in S13, reissue process is stopped, theformer printing screen shown in FIG. 12a is displayed in S15 and itreturns before S1. If printing of rewrite cards is done in S14, theformer printing screen is displayed in S15 and it returns before S1. Onthe other hand, if there is no transmission of prescription data, itproceeds to S10. Unless the “reissue” button is pressed there, itproceeds to S16. Unless the “end” button is pressed there, it returnsbefore S1, and if the “end” button is pressed, it returns to the menuscreen process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 13, so that the “menuscreen” (not shown) is displayed (S21). On this “menu screen”, a “start”button and a “diagnose” button are displayed. If the start button ispressed in S21, it returns before S20 to activate the process of FIG.11. If the diagnose button is pressed, “diagnosis process” is carriedout in S22.

For the diagnosis process, a diagnosis program for checking if thedevice-forming parts such as the control unit 30, cardattach/detach/write portion 32, operating means 33 operate normally isprovided in the control unit 30 (details are not shown). In thisprocess, it is self-diagnosed whether the operation of each component isnormal, at a suitable timing (generally at the end of everyday's drugprocessing) using this program. The diagnosis process in S22 is repeatedafter returning to S21. To return to the normal operation, by pressingthe “start button”, it returns to before S20 and the process of FIG. 11is activated.

In the above two embodiments, the writing device A is attached to theconveyor device D. Carriers T may be transferred not by the conveyordevice D but may be fed on a cart or manually. Thus, a table of asuitable height may be provided at a predetermined position (any placein a hospital or pharmacy will do) so that a carrier can be stablyplaced thereon, and the writing device A may be attached to the table,not to the conveyor device. By this arrangement, simply by placing acarrier T on the table, attaching and detaching of a rewrite card 1 andwriting of printed letters are automatically processed by the writingdevice A.

In the embodiments, the rewrite card 1 on the side of each carrier T isof a type in which it is attached and detached to and from the carrierby being moved in a horizontal direction by the cardattach/detach/transfer means 10. But attaching and detaching of cardsmay not be in a horizontal direction. For example, a card may be suckedand raised by a suction means having a suction arm, and fed into thewriting means by moving or turning the suction arm.

As described above, with the writing device for carrier display membersof this invention, the attach/detach/transfer means for detachablyfitting a display member to a carrier is provided at a predeterminedposition, and the writing means for erasably writing patient informationon each display member is connected, thereby patient information isrepeatedly erased and written on a display member and the display memberis attached to and detached from a carrier. Thus, attaching anddetaching of display members to and from carriers are mechanized withoutthe necessity to manually fit them. Also, soiling due to adhesive isprevented. Thus, it is hygienic, work efficiency improves, human errorscan be prevented, and inexpensive display members can be used withoutneeding expensive members such as IC cards or displays.

1. A writing device for display members for a carrier comprising anattach/detach/transfer means for detaching, attaching and transferring arewrite card type display member to the carrier detachably carrying saiddisplay member on one side thereof, said rewrite card type displaymember including a recording layer, wherein the rewrite card typedisplay member is capable of displaying patient information uponapplication of a specific temperature to write or erase letters on therecording layer, and a writing means connected to saidattach/detach/transfer means for erasably writing and displaying patientinformation on said display member, for writing patient information onthe recording layer of the rewrite card type display member by applyingthe specific temperature with a thermal head, and erasing suchinformation from the recording layer, said attach/detach/transfer meansand said writing means being controlled based on drug information inprescriptions, thereby attaching and detaching said display member toand from the carrier and writing patient information on said displaymember such that the rewrite card type display member is attached to anddetached from one carrier, and, after rewriting patient information onthe recording layer with said writing means, the same rewrite card typedisplay member is attached to the same carrier or a different carrier,and this cycle is repeated.
 2. A writing device for display members fora carrier as claimed in claim 1 comprising an attach/detach/transfermeans for detaching, attaching and transferring a display member to thecarrier detachably carrying the display member on one side thereof, anda writing means connected to said attach/detach/transfer means forerasably writing and displaying patient information on said displaymember, said attach/detach/transfer means and said writing means beingcontrolled based on drug information in prescriptions, thereby attachingand detaching said display member to and from the carrier and writingpatient information on said display member, wherein saidattach/detach/transfer means having a guide frame which forms a guidepath portion in which a plurality of pairs of rubber rollers and opposedrollers are provided in said frame at predetermined intervals, and anabutting portion having rubber rollers exposed from said frame, saidguide frame being rotatable, whereby said display member can be attachedand detached to and from the carrier by bringing said rubber rollers atsaid abutting portion into contact with said display member of thecarrier and rotating said rubber rollers.
 3. A writing device fordisplay members for a carrier as claimed in claim 1 wherein a carrierstop/release means is provided at a predetermined position of a path forfeeding said carrier to stop said carrier and wherein at saidpredetermined position, said attach/detach/transfer means is provided.4. A writing device for display members for a carrier as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising a control unit connected to saidattach/detach/transfer means and said writing means and a druginformation transmitting portion connected to said control unit forstoring drug information for each patient based on prescriptions, saidcontrol unit selecting patient information fed from said druginformation transmitting portion and feeding it to said writing means toerase and write the patient information on said display member, which isattached and detached by said attach/detach/transfer means.
 5. A writingdevice for display members for a carrier as claimed in claim 1, furthercomprising writing means for reissuing said display members andoperation means having a display for displaying patient information andan input means for inputting operating signals, said operation meansbeing connected to said writing means to reissue said display members.6. A writing device for display members for a carrier as claimed inclaim 2 wherein a carrier stop/release means is provided at apredetermined position of a path for feeding said carrier to stop saidcarrier and wherein at said predetermined position, saidattach/detach/transfer means is provided.
 7. A writing device fordisplay members for a carrier as claimed in claim 2, further comprisinga control unit connected to said attach/detach/transfer means and saidwriting means and a drug information transmitting portion connected tosaid control unit for storing drug information for each patient based onprescriptions, said control unit selecting patient information fed fromsaid drug information transmitting portion and feeding it to saidwriting means to erase and write the patient information on said displaymember, which is attached and detached by said attach/detach/transfermeans.
 8. A writing device for display members for a carrier as claimedin claim 3, further comprising a control unit connected to saidattach/detach/transfer means and said writing means and a druginformation transmitting portion connected to said control unit forstoring drug information for each patient based on prescriptions, saidcontrol unit selecting patient information fed from said druginformation transmitting portion and feeding it to said writing means toerase and write the patient information on said display member, which isattached and detached by said attach/detach/transfer means.
 9. A writingdevice for display members for a carrier as claimed in claim 2, furthercomprising writing means for reissuing said display members andoperation means having a display for displaying patient information andan input means for inputting operating signals, said operation meansbeing connected to said writing means to reissue said display members.10. A writing device for display members for a carrier as claimed inclaim 3, further comprising writing means for reissuing said displaymembers and operation means having a display for displaying patientinformation and an input means for inputting operating signals, saidoperation means being connected to said writing means to reissue saiddisplay members.
 11. A writing device for display members for a carrieras claimed in claim 4, further comprising writing means for reissuingsaid display members and operation means having a display for displayingpatient information and an input means for inputting operating signals,said operation means being connected to said writing means to reissuesaid display members.
 12. A drug dispensing device comprising: a carriersupply device including a plurality of drug carriers; a transport devicefor transporting said carriers from said carrier supply device; adispensing machine for dispensing drugs into said carriers; a pluralityof rewrite card type display members detachably attached to saidcarriers, respectively, each of said rewrite card type display membersincluding a recording layer, wherein each of said rewrite card typedisplay members is capable of displaying patient information uponapplication of a specific temperature to write or erase letters on therecording layer; a writing means for repeatedly writing patientinformation on the recording layer of each of said rewrite card typedisplay members by applying the specific temperature with a thermalhead, and erasing such information from the recording layer; acontroller for controlling said dispensing machine to dispense drugsinto said carriers based on drug information derived from prescriptions,said controller being operable to control said writing means to eraseold patient information from said rewrite card type display membersattached to said carriers, and write new patient information on saidrewrite card type display members; a carrier-discharge lifter cartprovided at a terminal end of said transport device, wherein the drugsdispensed into said carriers in accordance with prescription data can becollected into said carrier-discharge lifter cart, and each of thecarriers is provided with one of the rewrite card type display memberson which new patient information from prescription data has been writtenby said writing means, which is controlled by said control device; and acard attach/detach/transfer means arranged along said transport devicefor attaching said rewrite card type display members to said carriers,and detaching said card-shaped display members from said carriers,wherein said card attach/detach/transfer means is controlled by saidcontrol unit so that an individual one of said rewrite card type displaymembers is attached to and detached from one carrier, and, afterrewriting patient information on the recording layer with said writingmeans, the same rewrite card type display member is attached to the samecarrier or a different carrier, and this cycle is repeated.
 13. A drugdispensing device comprising: a carrier supply device including aplurality of drug carriers; a transport device for transporting saidcarriers from said carrier supply device; a dispensing machine fordispensing drugs into said carriers; a plurality of rewrite card typedisplay members detachably attached to said carriers, respectively, eachof said rewrite card type display members including a recording layer,wherein each of said rewrite card type display members is capable ofdisplaying patient information upon application of a specifictemperature to write or erase letters on the recording layer; a writingmeans for repeatedly writing patient information on the recording layerof each of said rewrite card type display members by applying thespecific temperature with a thermal head, and erasing such informationfrom the recording layer; a controller for controlling said dispensingmachine to dispense drugs into said carriers based on drug informationderived from prescriptions, said controller being operable to controlsaid writing means to erase old patient information from said rewritecard type display members attached to said carriers, and write newpatient information on said rewrite card type display members; and acard attach/detach/transfer means arranged along said transport devicefor attaching said rewrite card type display members to said carriers,and detaching said card-shaped display members from said carriers,wherein said card attach/detach/transfer means is controlled by saidcontrol unit so that an individual one of said rewrite card type displaymembers is attached to and detached from one of said carriers, and,after rewriting patient information on the recording layer with saidwriting means, the same rewrite card type display member is attached tothe same carrier or a different carrier, and this cycle is repeated.